Oblique rail joint



June 1953 G. A. STANDFAST 2,643,064

OBLIQUE RAIL JOINT Filed Dec. 15, 1950 1 2 21 26 15 INVENTOR. 16 If F 2 GEOfiG-' fl. Era/vanes;-

Patented June 23,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OBLIQUE RAIL JOINT George A. Standfast, Jefferson City, Mo. Application December 15, 1950; Serial No. 200,975

3 Claims.

This invention relates to oblique or scarf rail joints and constitutes an improvement on the rail joint disclosed in my Patent No. 2,472,446, issued June 7, 1949.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved oblique rail joint which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture, which uses the same kind of coupling plates or fish plates and the same number of connecting bolts as the conventional butt joint; which does not weaken the rail at its ends; which provides a somewhat longer joint than that disclosed in my prior patent to provide a smoother path for wheels thereon; and which includes means for maintaining the end portions of adjacent rails in accurate alignment under conditions of heat expansion of the rails and wheel loads thereon so that the oblique rail ends are not offset relative to each other by such expansion and loads and the acute ends of the rail are not broken or distorted, no shock or deflection is imparted to the car wheels traveling over the joint and no excessive strain is placed on the connecting plates and bolts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of two rail end portions interconnected by an oblique rail joint illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the rail end portions and joint illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the rail end portions and oblique rail joint illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and t Figure 4 is a diagonal cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

With continued reference to the drawing, there is illustrated in Figure 1 abutting end portions l and H of two interconnected railroad rails with a diagonal rail joint between such abutting ends. It is to be understood that a similar joint is provided between each pair of abutting rail ends and that each rail has on its opposite ends the same formation inclined in the same direction so that either end of one rail may be connected in the same manner to either end of an adjacent rail, there being no predeterminedsend to end relationship of the rails.

The rail ID has a base flange [2, a rail head l3 provided with rounded edges and a web 14 disposed between and interconnecting the flange and the rail head. The rail head tapers somewhat in thickness in a direction away from the fl5, rail head [Band web I! interconnecting the flange l5 and head 16.

The rail end In. is obliquely or diagonally cut off on two planes,vas indicated at [8 and I9 which planes are both perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail flange 12 and are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. The two outs thus provided extend from respectively opposite sides of the rail substantially to a plane which is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail flange and includes the longitudinal center line of the rail, and a cut in a third plane 2t interconnects the cuts on the planes l8 and It at the center of the rail. The third plane '20 is also substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the railflange and intersects the planes i8 and I9 substantially perpendicularly at respectively opposite sides of the plane including the center line of the rail. Y

The distance between the two parallel planes it and I9 and consequently the width of the plane 20 of the intermediate cut, is preferably not greater than one-eighth of an inch and for light rails may be of the order of one-sixteenth ofan inch and the planes [8 and I9 are both disposed at an angle of less than to the plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail flange and including the longitudinal center line of the rail, an angle between the two planes on which the rail end is cut and a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail flange and including the longitudinalcenter line of the rail of approximately 30 being preferred.

The entire rail end formation may be conveniently provided by cutting the rail from opposite sides with band saws or reciprocating saws. One saw will be used to cut diagonally half way across the rail with its side adjacent the length of the rail on the plane I9 and the other saw will be used to cut diagonally from the other side of the rail to the center of the rail with its side adjacent the length of the rail on the plane it. The plane 20 will thus have a width equal to the thickness of the first mentioned saw and a saw of suitable thickness will be selected for this cut. The thickness of the saw cutting along the plane [8 is immaterial so long as it has sufficient structural strength.

The'tips of acute ends of the flanges l2 and I5 are cut off, as indicated at 2| and 22, to remove the sharp corners from the rail ends and avoil danger of personal injury to workmen laying the rails, and the acute ends of the rail heads are dressed'oif, as indicated at 3| and 32,

3 so that no extremely thin portion is present to be bent or broken by the flanges of wheels passing over the rails as explained in my Patent No. 2,472,446 referred to above.

When two rail ends are brought together in the manner indicated in the drawing, the cuts on the corresponding planes 20 provide overlapping jogs or shoulders at the mid-width location of the interconnected rails extending from the bottom surface iofsthe. raibflanges to "the vtop surface oi the rail heads. The cut extending from the side of the rail at the acute end thereof to the shoulder is disposed inwardly longitudinally of the rail of the cut extending from the-other side of the rail to the shoulder sothat the surface of the shoulder faces the acute end or point of the rail. When the adjacent-ends of two rails. disposed in end to end relationship arebrought.

together the shoulders .20 are mutually opposed in a direction to preventthe diagonal surfaces of the rail ends from sliding past each other upon elongation of the rails'andthis keeps 'the acute or tip ends 23 and 24 of therailheads'cf'the two interconnected rails {in-alignment with" the side surfaces of the rail heads sothatthe'se acute ends are not forced outwardly and damaged *by the flanges 'o'f carwheels passing over the rails. Even' when thera'ils aresubjected to'high heat expansion or excessive loads, the overlapping s'houlders'cooperating with the "diagonal cuts maintain the interconnected rails inperfe'c-t longitudinal alignment and-preclude any relative lateral displacement of the two rail ends at the rail joint;

The web 1-4 isprovided near-the rail end with two bolt holes spacedapart longitudinally of the rail 'and-the'web H is providedwith two similarly located bol-t holesand fi's'h plates 25 and 26 of well known form, are placed one'at each side of the interconnected rairwebs and-eachfish plate overlaps the webs 'ofthe two'rai-ls adjacent the rail joint. 'These fish plates are provided with holes registering *wi-th'theholesdn-thewebs H and 11 and tie b'olts 2T are inserted through the holes in the fishplates-and the webs; Nuts ZB are threaded onto thescrew threaded end porthe'fish plates 25 and 2 6 and the bolts 21, the

loads 'on the fish' plates being mainly in tension and the loads on'the bolts mainly in shear.

The joint formation on each rail end can thus bra-provided by a -=sin'g-le, simple sawing operation, providing maximum economy, and is effective to hold the =r'ail' ends in alignment against relative lateral displacement, to protect the-acute ends of the diagonally --cut--rail heads and to relieve the rail connecting fish plates and bolts from-ex- 'cessivestrain; having an angle to the longitudinal 'center plane of the rails less than 45,is of adequate length to provide a smooth path of trave'lfor the car wheels from one rail'to the connected rail so thatthe car wheels will not bump at the rail joints.

The invention may be embodiedin other specificiforms without departing 'from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, tolbeconsideredfin all The diagonal or oblique joint,

respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedis:

1., In railwlygails oath having a flange, a web and a head, an oblique rail joint between the adjacent ends of rails disposed in end to end relationship comprising diagonal surfaces on each rail end'disposed in spaced apart and substantially parallelv planes perpendicular to the bottom surface or the corresponding flange and extendingmoneirom the side of the rail at the acute end thereof to a location adjacent a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of said flange and including the longitudinal center line of the rail and the 'otl'icrdrom alocation adjacent the last gmeintijoned plane to 3 the other side of the rail, said other suiface-beingjdisposed outwardly of said one surface longitudinally of said rail and there being a'third surface extending between the ends oi'thetwo above mentioned surfaces adjacent said last 'mentioned plane and disposed in a plane perpendicular 'to the "bottom surface of said flange and to said "parallel plane, said third surface providing a shoulder'extending from the bottom to the top-of the rail and facing the acute'end-thereof;the-diagonal surfaces of said adjacent rail-ends being disposed in face to face relationship-- and? said shoulders being mutuallyppposed in a direction' to precjlude slidingof said diagonal "surfaces past each other when said rails are subjectto elongation.

2. I'm railway rails eachhaving a flange, a web and --a-head,-an-ob ue -rail jo'in-t between the adjacent ends of 'ra-rls disposed in end to end relationship comprising diagonal surfaces on each rail en'd disposd 'inspaced apart and substantially parallel plai-xes perpendicular "to the bottom surface of the corresponding flange and extend- 'ing one from' the side of the rail atthe acute end the'reo'f to=a location adjacent a plane perpendicular to the bottol-n surface of said 'flange and including the lo'ng'itudinal center line of the ra'il'and "the other from a-location adjacent the lastmentioned plan'etattle-other side of the rail, said other surfacebeing disposed outwardly of said one surface long'itudinally of said rail and there being-a th-"ird surface extending between the ends 01 thetwo abovev mentioned-surfaces ad j'acent said lest mentioned planeand disposed in a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of -:said -flange-:and to sa id parallel plane, said third surface providingasl-iuiilder extending from the bottom :to the =tcp-of -therail and racing the acute send Ethereof, the diagonal snrfaces of said adjacent frail lends beingdi'sposed in face to face relationship: and said :shonlders being niutually opposediln atdireetion tm reclude sliding of said diagonal surfaces past :each other" when said trails are subject to elongation, said parallel planes being :disposed atiamangle of less than 45 :to said plaire including the longitudinal center line of the-rail. r

3. :In mailwayirails each :having a. flange, :a web and a head, anioblique .railujoin't between the adjacent ends ofrcails disposed in end :to end relationshi comprising diagonal surfaces "on each rail lend disposedzun. aced :apart and .substaniti'ally p'aralllxplanes perpendicular Eto 'the bot- .;tom lsurface'lofat'lreacomespnnding :flange and sextending one from the side of the rail at the acute end thereof to a location adjacent a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of said flange and including the longitudinal center line of the rail and the other from a location adjacent the last mentioned plane to the other side of the rail, said other surface being disposed outwardly of said one surface longitudinally of said rail and there being a third surface extending between the ends of the two above mentioned surfaces adjacent said last mentioned plane and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the bottom surface of said flange and to said parallel plane, said third surface providing a shoulder extending from the bottom to the top of the rail and facing the acute end thereof, the diagonal surfaces of said adjacent rail ends being disposed in face to References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 805,902 Clark Nov. 28, 1905 2,472,446 Standfast June 7, 1949 

